Head ballast blowing valve mechanism for automobile torpedoes



Dec. 9, 1952 JONES 2,620,827

HEAD BALLAST BLOWING VALVE MECHANISM FOR AUTOMOBILE TORPEDOES Filed Oct. 10, 1946 Int V6 (alt 3 Mum/v) Tl l/ILK/Nso XECUTOR Patented Dec. 9, 1952 HEAD BALLAST BLOWING VALVE MEG ANISM FOR AUTOMOBILE TOBPEDGES Application October 10, 1946, Serial No. 702,397 In Great Britain July 26, 1938 erates it when the said movable flap moves forward as a result of the diminution of the pressure thereon when the torpedo loses speed, the diaphragm then being free to move inwards to open an air valve admitting compressed air to blow out water or other liquid ballast from the practice head to cause the torpedo to rise to the surface.

It has been found that this known construction of air valve suffers from the disadvantage that the valve operating lever occasionally fails to hook itself under the retaining catch provided therefor, owing to insuflicient opening of the valve, this insufficient opening being occasioned when the torpedo has only a small negative buoyancy at the end of its travel or fails to stop quickly and continues to paddle along.

Sumcient water or ballast will be blown from the torpedo upon the opening of the valve to enable the torpedo to become buoyant and float on the surface, but the pressure on the outside of the valve will then be decreased and if the valve is not retained in the open position it will close and prevent any more air escaping into the head, the engine and heater of the torpedo will gradually fill with water and the result may be that the torpedo having a few pounds positive buoyancy will float away, and as it may have very little buoyancy it will be practically invisible and thus may be lost.

The object of the present invention is to overcome the above disadvantage and the invention accordingly consists in providing a plunger adapted to co-operate with an extension of the valve operating lever in such a manner that it forces the lever into operative contact with its retaining catch immediately the valve is opened.

In order that the said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect, the same will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a view in cross section similar to Figure 4 of specifiication No. 398,578.

Referring now to the drawing, a cylindrical chamber L is formed in the body H and is in communication with a passage G communicating via the air valve D with the compressed air supply conduit M leading from a suitable source of supply of compressed air, the chamber L also communicating with an outlet passage B leading into the torpedo head. A plunger A suitably guided in the body H, is fitted with a piston C which is adapted to reciprocate in the chamber L, this piston being much larger in area than the cross-sectional area of the passages G and B. Ihe upper end of the plunger A, when the valve D is closed has a very slight clearance from an adjustable abutment, such as screw K of the valve operating lever K, and an adjustable abutment N in this lever at the same time has a very slight clearance from the stem D of the valve D, so that when the valve D is closed by its spring D this spring does not load the plunger A. The catch K in the non-locking position shown in the drawing is normally pressed against the adjacent extremity of the lever K by a spring K".

The passage G from the operating valve D of the mechanism is in permanent communication with the portion of the cylinder L below the piston C and in the normal position of the piston C, i. e. the position of rest, the outlet E to the passage B leading into the torpedo head is closed by the piston. A small hole F is drilled from the top of the cylinder L to passage B to provide the small degree of yield to the displacement of air above the piston C to prevent a too sudden displacement of the piston C, i. e. to contribute towards the necessary build-up of air pressure beneath the piston, whilst at the same time releasing air above the piston at the required rate into the conduit B. Thus, in effect, a form of yielding air cushion is provided above the piston C.

The abutment K formed on the valve operating lever K is on the opposite side of the pivotal point K of the lever to that of a hook end K which co-operates with the retaining catch K From the above, it will be seen that immediately the valve D is opened, and prior to the hook end K of the lever K engaging under the retaining catch K compressed air will flow into the part of the chamber L beneath the piston C and be unable to escape quickly enough to avoid a pressure being built up. This pressure will force the piston C and plunger A upwards to the limit of their travel and the plunger impinging on the extension K of the valve lever K, will knock this end of the lever in the upward direction about its pivotal point K .and suddenly drive the hook end K downwards and into retaining engagement with the retaining catch K The lever K also co-operates with a lever K as described in the previously mentioned prior British specification No. 398,578, the lever K abutting upwards against an adjustable abutment screw K in the lever K and by reason of hydrostatic pressure applied to a paddle (not shown) during the movement of the torpedo through the water urging the end K of the lever K downwards to partially open the valve D, thelever K thereupon becomes locked by the catch K However, the

principal purpose of the piston is to actuate the.

lever K in such manner that in moving to effect latchin the end K of the lever under. the catch K the initial or partial opening of the valve D releases air pressure to the piston C which is driven upwards so that it knocks the valve D fully open as soon as even only a slight air pressure is passed through. That is-to say, it anticipates the increase of hydraulic pressure on the main mechanism topositively lock the valve D open.

In thism-annerit will be easily seen that the valve D-isretained in the open position untilthe head is completely blown, thus avoiding the disadvantages setout in the opening paragraphs of the-specification;

What is claimed is:

Ingoverning mechanism for headballast blowing mechanism for a torpedo of the type in which thereis'providedan air valveand a lever which is operated from hydrostatically responsive means to produce an opening movement of the said air-valve, and" further has combined-with it means-to-lock it in the position in which it maintains the air valve opened, the provision of a cylinder, an inlet tothe cylinder, a compressed airpassageleading from saidinlet and adapted to be-connected to a source of air pressure via the said valve, an outlet in said cylinder from which extends a passage for discharging the compressed air, a piston in the cylinder permanently exposed at one side to said inlet and compressed air passage and on its other side permanently isolated from said compressed air passage but having communication with said passage leading from said outlet to-afiord an air cushion yieldingly opposing the displacement of the said piston by the initial air pressure flowing via said valve, an extension from said piston having driving connection to said: lever, operating means extending between said valve and lever, said piston normally isolating the said inlet from the said outlet and adapted to be displaced by the air pressure fed along said passageconsequent upon initiation of the-opening movement of said valve so as to supplement the initially applied valve opening movement of the lever and complete the valve opening movement of the lever, and to establish communication betweenthe said inlet and outlet, and a springloaded catch adapted to trip over and retain said lever in the-valve-full-open position.

WILLIAM THOMAS" WILKINSON: Executor of the Estate of Lewis Jones, deceased.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent;

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 452360 Burnham May 19, 1891 548,288 Beattie 1 Oct. 22, 1895 1,231,828 West July 3; 1917" 1,980,325 Down Nov. 13, 1,934

FOREIGN PATENTS Number- Country Date 214,994 Switzerland Sept. 1, 1 941 398,578 Great Britain Sept. 21-, 1933 

